These Last Days (3)

For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2.14

The glory of God
The glory of God in every aspect of life is the end toward which the Kingdom economy is unfolding in these last days. All believers are called to embrace this agenda and way of life (1 Thess. 2.12).

To be sure, that end will not be fully realized until God Himself brings it in with the advent of the new heavens and new earth. Only then will the earth and all creation be overflowed and filled with the life-giving Spirit of Christ, and the Sun of Righteousness will be risen with full healing in His wings for everything He has made. Believers long for this day, and, in many respects, the anticipation of this day affects their choices and actions here and now (2 Pet. 3.10-14).

In the meantime, however, Christians, to whom the stewardship of the Kingdom economy has been entrusted, must meet with God in His glory, there to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, so that they might do all things in such a way as to bring glory to God (2 Cor. 3.12-18; 1 Cor. 10.31).

There is not a facet of our lives, not a nook or cranny of the cosmos where God does not intend that His glory should shine forth and be known. Indeed, even now He is showing His glory in created things, and even in much of the culture that human beings make to meet their own needs (Ps. 19.1-4; Ps. 68.18). God is manifesting His glory; the task of those entrusted with the Kingdom economy is to serve as docents of the glory of God, bringing His glory to light and making it known for all to see in these last days.

Making God’s glory known
But what does that entail?

The glory of God is the manifestation of God’s presence, glimpsed through created things, as they yield to, refract, and magnify His beauty, goodness, and truth through their own unique features and functions. All creation proclaims the glory of God. Every human being has an innate sense of beauty, goodness, and truth. That’s not to say that human beings agree on these matters, just that they all have a sense of them. The ultimate standard of true beauty, true goodness, and true truth is God Himself, especially as revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 1.1-3). He is all beauty, goodness, and truth, and He is able to make His character and presence known through the creation and culture with which we are surrounded all day long.

Our task, as those called to the Kingdom and glory of God, and charged with the administration of the His economy, is to draw out, exemplify, point out, heighten, and pursue the glory of God in every aspect of life.

Beginning with us
Think of this charge in terms of the relationships, roles, and responsibilities that fill our daily lives. Our mission in these last days is to glorify God by living out the reality of His indwelling presence (cf. Mic. 4.1-8). In all our relationships, cultural activities, conversations, families, vocations, and diversions – what will it look like, and how will it appear to others when the glorious presence of God is being refracted through us?

Certainly there will be manifestations of beauty – things that demonstrate right proportion, wholesome and pleasing patterns, edifying tendencies and proclivities, and things which bring pleasure and delight to others.

We would also expect to find evidence of remarkable goodness, like the Lord Jesus Christ is good – looking out for others, serving their needs, accomplishing works and projects that bring healing, health, happiness, and wholesomeness to others.

Moreover, we will strive to make sure that all our efforts are bathed with truth, grounded in the Word of God and reflective of the character of Jesus Christ Himself. Nothing of deceit, nothing misleading or equivocal, nothing to confuse or subvert should be part of our way of life. We are bringers of the light of a new day, and the fruit of that light is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph. 5.9).

What is true for us as individual citizens in the Kingdom will be true for our Kingdom communities as well. Local churches are signs and outposts of the Kingdom of God; we are Kingdom wells and springs in the midst of the barren communities of the world. It is to be expected, therefore, that Kingdom beauty, goodness, and truth will attach to all that we are becoming, everything we do, and will flow out to everything and everyone in our path.

All this is subsumed in the idea of love, which is the currency of the Kingdom in the divine economy, and comes to expression in the form of justice, which above all, citizens of the Kingdom are charged with pursuing (Deut. 16.20).

We need to understand the glory of God, and to be faithful in meeting with God in His glory, until the glory that shines from His face begins to affect and transform us, flowing through us into every aspect of our lives (2 Cor. 4.6; 2 Cor. 3.12-18).

For until we know the glory of God – His beauty, goodness, and truth impacting us soul and body, day by day – we will not be able to show that glory to the watching world. This is our charge in these last days, and, while – as Solomon insisted (Eccl. 1.13) – this is a difficult task, it is one which, as we give ourselves diligently to it, we may certainly expect to realize.

For reflection or discussion
1.  What do you understand by the “glory of God”? What does it mean to “glorify” God in your life?

2.  How do beauty, goodness, and truth relate to the glory of God? Do individual believers have a responsibility for bringing beauty, goodness, and truth in to the world? What about local churches?

3.  How often do you think and plan for bringing beauty, goodness, and truth into your world? Is this something you ought to do a bit more consistently? Why or why not?

Next steps – Demonstration: How much of beauty, goodness, and truth can you identify in your life at this time? Talk with a Christian friend about this question. See if together you can come up with some areas where you might increase in showing the glory of God to those around you.

T. M. Moore

This week’s ReVision study is Part 10 of a 10-part series, “The Kingdom Economy.” You can download “These Last Days” as a free PDF, prepared for personal or group study. Simply click here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.